Transforming food security policymaking in Australia: a three-tiered food systems-centred and rights-based approach

Abstract Global food security policies are increasingly shaped by the impacts of climate change, geopolitical conflicts, and evolving food systems, prompting shifts in national approaches. However, these shifts remain uneven, with high-income nations often demonstrating weak commitments to food security. This Australian case study draws on analyses of 102 food-related policies, 25 stakeholder interviews and 500 public surveys conducted across the states of Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, revealing both systemic barriers and opportunities. Policy analyses highlight the inadequacy of food security agendas across local, state, and national levels of government, characterised by a disconnect between dominant economic narratives and food security priorities. Interviews and surveys reveal a divergence between policymakers’ and the public’s perceptions of food insecurity, with public concerns remaining high regardless of gender, income, and household spending power. Three perception barriers hinder effective food security policymaking: (a) narrow conceptualisations of food security, (b) governance fragmentation, and (c) limited understanding of food systems. We argue for a three-tiered, food systems-centred and rights-based approach for food security policymaking across local, state (or regional), and national or international levels. This framework helps overcome entrenched perception barriers, catalyse more transformative policymaking, and reduce policy disparities between high- and low-income nations. If widely adopted, these policy shifts could strengthen global food security and accelerate urgently needed progress towards achieving multiple global sustainability goals.